1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to textile fabric pouches for personal articles, and more specifically relates to thermally-insulated pouches for immediate storage and transport of hot hair-curling appliances.
2. Description of the Related Art
Curling irons bring great convenience to the chore of grooming. The advantages over the use of common wet-set curlers, in both time-savings and versatility, are well known. However, despite their advantages, curling irons have the drawback of remaining dangerously hot for some time after use. Most curling irons include a retractable bail, or the like, upon which the iron may be propped to cool. Nevertheless, a cooling curling iron remains vulnerable to being upset by accident, as for example by the act of a child, as a result of which damage or injury could occur. And, a hot curling iron presents a particular problem for travelers, because packing is often conducted in a hurried fashion, and a just-used iron cannot be safely stowed with other items.
Most curling irons currently marketed for personal use are elongate in configuration and include a handle portion, a heating element projecting therefrom, and a spring-biased, lever-operated clip for holding a curl of hair against the heating element. A first type of curling iron is electrically operated and includes a power cord which projects from its handle. A second type employs combustible gas, commonly butane, as the source of heating energy. The fuel reservoir of a gas-burning curling iron is usually in its handle. Thus, handles of gas-burning curling irons are often somewhat larger than those of electric models; although, the sizes of electric curling iron handles vary quite widely as well.
The hair clip mechanism of most curling irons is mounted at a fixed fulcrum close to the junction between the iron's handle portion and its heating element. The curl-retaining portion of the clip mechanism projects forward from the fulcrum and nests against the heating element. The lever portion of the clip projects outward from the fulcrum, and rearward, flanking the handle. When the clip lever is depressed toward the handle, the clip's forward, curl-retaining portion is driven away from the heating element a distance sufficient for a lock of hair to be wrapped around the heating element for heating, or to be unwrapped for release afterward.
The problems and dangers of hot curling irons are as well known as their advantages, and have been addressed in the art. For example, for an iron used at a fixed location, various wall-mounted holsters, and the like, have been proposed for providing secure support for the iron as it cools. One such holster is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,189 issued to Andrew in 1992. Therein, Andrew discloses a substantially rigid structure which engages a curling iron and partially encloses its heating element. If securely mounted to a surface, Andrew's device would reduce the risk of such accidents as are most likely to occur in a home or, for example, in a salon work space. However, a tug on the electrical cord of a hot iron supported by the Andrew device could plainly disengage the iron therefrom. And, even while engaged, Andrew's partial sleeve leaves a significant portion of the heating element exposed, thus rendering Andrew's device unacceptable for use as a travel case.
Various other holsters are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,019 issued to Baird, et al. in 1990. As with the disclosure of Andrew, the devices of Baird, et al. are designed for surface mounting, and therefore may be adequate for use at a fixed grooming location. However, all the devices disclosed in Baird, et al. leave a curling iron's heating element more or less exposed, or loosely engaged.
A rigid cover for a curling iron's entire heating element is shown in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 261,317 issued to Oberheim, et al. in 1981. Use of the cover disclosed in Oberheim, et al. might prevent injury or damage from the heating element of a curling iron accidentally upset while cooling. However, the Oberheim, et al. reference does not disclose any insulating or heat-venting structure, so it appears a curling iron would require pre-cooling before being covered as depicted therein. Thus, while most dangerously hot, the heating element would necessarily remain exposed. Yet further, the Oberheim, et al. cover has the additional drawback that a differently-constructed cover would be required to accommodate the unique shape of each different model of curling iron offered by each different manufacturer.
Soft-sided travel pouches for curling irons are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,792 issued to Conway in 1986, and in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 348,542 issued to Cannella in 1994. Both are similarly constructed: two generally rectangular panels, one shorter, one longer, but similar in width, are registered with one another and joined around three of their common outer edges to define a pocket therewithin. The longer panel serves as a closure flap over the pocket's opening. The pouch disclosed in Conway is insulated and includes a pair of opposed ribbons for retaining an electrical curling iron's cord. Cannella's closure flap includes an additional panel defining an auxiliary pocket for the cord. However, despite superior portability and other advantages over devices as in Andrew, Baird, et al. and Oberheim, et al., the constructions of Conway and Cannella would restrict cooling circulation, and their cord retention means appear somewhat cumbersome to employ. And, although Cannella's interior pocket may be adequate to receive a curling iron's cord, its shape and size make it unlikely to be useful for carrying any other personal hair-grooming accoutrements such as brushes or combs.
Further, the Conway and Cannella pouches have closed ends with closure flaps; pouches so constructed would likely be somewhat limited in the size of curling iron they could accommodate. For example, the large handle of a gas-burning curling iron would likely require a flap-ended pouch somewhat longer than that for an electric curling iron. So, construction of either a different-sized pouch for each, or one wastefully large pouch, would be necessary. In addition, if used for housing a gas curling iron, the cord retention means provided in Conway and Cannella, i.e. the ribbons and pocket, respectively, would be superfluous. And, neither would those means be very well suited for retaining or stowing most commonly used grooming accessories.
Thus, it appears that a need exists for apparatus able to receive a hot curling iron safely and securely, which is, at once, able to permit the iron to cool efficiently. And, it should serve those purposes equally well, whether used at a fixed grooming location, or packed for traveling. It would also be desirable if such apparatus, in a single size, could accommodate all common sizes and constructions of gas and electric curling irons. Yet further, means for retaining an electric curling iron's cord, and/or for stowing other common hair grooming accessories, would be additionally beneficial.